Medical drape

Abstract

A medical drape comprises at least a bottom ply in the form of a release liner, a middle ply which is adhered to the patient during use of the drape, and a top ply covering the middle ply. The middle ply having an adhesive applied to a bottom surface thereof to removably adhere the bottom ply to the middle ply. The drape comprises a drape body defining top and bottom edges and first and second side edges; a first liner release tab and a carrier lift tab, both tabs being at an edge of the body. The first liner release tab is operable to remove the bottom ply from the middle ply to expose the adhesive of the middle ply. The carrier lift tab is operable to remove the top ply from the middle ply after application of the middle ply to a patient.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A medical drape formed from a multi-ply film, said film comprising at least a bottom ply in the form of a release liner, a middle ply which is adapted to be adhered to a patient during use of the drape, and a top ply covering said middle ply; said middle ply having an adhesive applied to a bottom surface of said middle ply to removably adhere said bottom ply to said middle ply; said drape comprising:
 a drape body defining top and bottom edges and first and second side edges; 
 a first liner release tab at an edge of said body; said first liner release tab having an inner edge defined by a top-middle cut, such that operation of said first liner release tab will pull the bottom ply from said middle ply to expose the adhesive of the middle ply; and 
 a carrier lift tab at an edge of said body, said carrier lift tab having an inner edge defined by a bottom-middle cut, such that operation of said carrier lift tab removes the top ply from said middle ply. 
 
     
     
       2. The medical drape of  claim 1  wherein said drape further comprises a press down area adjacent said carrier lift tab such that a user can press against the press down area when the carrier lift tab is being pulled. 
     
     
       3. The medical drape of  claim 2  wherein said press down area is defined by a top cut extending inwardly into said body; said top cut being substantially co-linear with an edge of said carrier lift tab. 
     
     
       4. The medical drape of  claim 3  including a separation handle extending from said body adjacent said liner release tab; said separation handle being separated from said drape body by a bottom cut. 
     
     
       5. The medical drape of  claim 2  wherein said press down area is defined by a tab extending from said body; said press down tab having an inner edge defined by a top cut. 
     
     
       6. The medical drape of  claim 5  wherein the top cut defining the inner edge of the press down tab extends the full length of the press down tab. 
     
     
       7. The medical drape of  claim 5  wherein the top cut defining the inner edge of the press down tab extends from an edge of said press down tab adjacent said carrier lift tab only a portion of the length of said press down tab, such that the top ply of said press down tab will be removed when said carrier lift tab is pulled. 
     
     
       8. The medical drape of  claim 2  including at least one bottom cut in said bottom ply extending from one side edge to the other of said drape body; said at least one bottom cut dividing drape into a first section and a second section; one of said first and second sections being a positioning section; said first liner release tab being associated with said first section; said carrier release and press down tabs being associated with one of said first and second sections; said drape further including a second liner release tab associated with said second section. 
     
     
       9. The medical drape of  claim 1  wherein the top-middle cut and the bottom-middle cut separating said liner release and carrier lift tabs, respectively, from said drape body are formed such that upon application of said drape to a patient, and upon removal of said bottom ply and said top ply from said middle ply, none of the release tab or the carrier lift tab remain with the middle ply. 
     
     
       10. The medical drape of  claim 1  including a second liner release tab along an edge of said body opposite said first liner release tab. 
     
     
       11. The medical drape of  claim 1  wherein said middle ply has a stretchability factor greater than a stretchability factor of the top ply. 
     
     
       12. The medical drape of  claim 11  wherein said middle ply has a stretchability factor of at least 200%. 
     
     
       13. The medical drape of  claim 1  wherein said drape further includes a liftable panel defined by a top cut extending from one side of said drape body to the opposite side of said drape body and a perforated top cut extending across said body spaced from said top cut and a carrier lift tab associated with said top ply liftable panel; whereby, said top ply liftable panel can be raised from said middle ply to allow for stretching of the middle ply prior to application of the middle ply to a surface. 
     
     
       14. The medical drape of  claim 1  wherein said drape is provided with an access port assembly; said access port assembly comprising a flange which is adhered to the adhesive of said middle ply and a hollow neck which extends through an access port aperture in said middle and top plies of said drape body. 
     
     
       15. The medical drape of  claim 14  wherein said access port aperture is pre-formed in said drape body. 
     
     
       16. The medical drape of  claim 15  wherein said access port is defined by an outer bottom cut and an inner top-middle cut surrounded by said outer bottom cut, said outer bottom cut defining a hole in said bottom ply sized to receive the flange of said port assembly, and said inner top-middle ply defining a hole extending through said top and middle plies sized to allow passage of said access port neck therethrough, whereby said access port aperture is formed by removing the material inside of said outer bottom cut and inner top-middle cut from said drape. 
     
     
       17. The medical drape of  claim 15  wherein said access port aperture is defined by concentric holes in said top and middle ply, and wherein said access port assembly is secured to said drape, as supplied. 
     
     
       18. The medical drape of  claim 1  including a grasping panel extending across said body at an end of said body; said grasping panel being separated from the remainder of said body by a bottom middle cut such that the bottom ply of said grasping panel remains with said grasping panel when the bottom ply is removed from the remainder of said body. 
     
     
       19. The medical drape of  claim 18  including a second release liner tab associated with said grasping panel; said release liner tab having an inner edge defined by a top-middle cut, such that operation of said second liner release tab will pull the bottom ply from said middle ply of said grasping panel to expose the adhesive of the middle ply of the grasping panel. 
     
     
       20. The medical drape of  claim 18  wherein said carrier lift tab extends from an end of said drape adjacent said grasping panel; said carrier lift tab extending beyond an inner edge of said grasping panel; said carrier lift tab being separated from said grasping panel by a full cut; and a remainder of said carrier lift tab being separated from the body by a bottom middle cut. 
     
     
       21. The medical drape of  claim 20  including a top cut extending diagonally inwardly from a corner of said grasping panel. 
     
     
       22. The medical drape of  claim 1  including a sheet having a non-adhesive surface; said sheet being pre-adhered to or being adherable to, said adhesive of said middle ply, such that said drape presents an adhesive-free area which can be applied against a wound; said sheet being made, at least in part, from a material which will prevent ingrowth of the wound to the material as the wound heals. 
     
     
       23. The medical drape of  claim 22  wherein the sheet is made from a material which will permit moisture, vapor, and gas to pass therethrough. 
     
     
       24. The medical drape of  claim 23  including an aperture formed, or formable, in said drape material above said sheet; said drape being adapted to connect said aperture to a vacuum source, such that said drape can be used for negative pressure wound therapy. 
     
     
       25. The medical drape of  claim 22  wherein said sheet is comprised of two or more plies; said plies of said sheet being selected from two or more of a material which acts as a filter, a material adapted to provide medicament to the wound, a material which contains sensors for monitoring biometric and/or physiological parameters (such as temperature, gas concentrations, presence of pathogens, etc.), and a material which operates as a check valve; wherein the material that will be adjacent the wound presents an adhesive-free surface to the wound.